AUTHOR=Li Liqing , Zhang Qi , Zhu Liyong , Zeng Guohua , Huang Hongwei , Zhuge Jian , Kuang Xiaorui , Yang Sule , Yang Di , Chen Zhensheng , Gan Yong , Lu Zuxun , Wu Chunmei 

TITLE=Screen time and depression risk: A meta-analysis of cohort studies

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychiatry

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1058572

DOI=10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1058572

ISSN=1664-0640

ABSTRACT=Abstract
Background: The impact of screen time on mental health, including depression, has attracted increasing attention for not only children and adolescents but also the elderly. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis of cohort studies to evaluate the association between screen time and depression risk.
Methods: The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were searched for cohort studies up to May 2022, and the reference lists of the included studies were also retrieved. A random-effects model was used to estimate the combined effect size. Heterogeneity was assessed with the I2 statistic. Potential publication bias was evaluated using a funnel plot and the Begg’s and Egger’s tests.
Results: The final analysis included 18 cohort studies with a combined total of 241,398 participants. The pooled risk ratio (RR) was 1.10 (95% confidence interval: 1.05–1.14) with significant heterogeneity (I2 = 82.7%, P < 0.001). The results of subgroup analyses showed that the pooled RRs varied according to geographic locations, gender, age group, screen time in the control group, depression at baseline, and whether the study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. No obvious evidence of publication bias was found.
Conclusion: This study indicates that screen time is a predictor for depressive symptoms. The effects of screen time on depression risk may vary based on participant’s age, gender, location, and screen time duration. The findings could have important implications for depression prevention.